Reposted from : http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com
Today my office was ambushed by the Mitzvah Police, well maybe not an ambush, after all there were no weapons, just a “green stick and a yellow rock.” For some reason it bothered me. I would like to know what you guys think so please leave me your opinion via the comments link below.
First let me tell ya’ll what happened. Sometime after lunch there was a ring at the front door of our corporate suite. A few minutes later the receptionist came into my office and said, “There are two Rabbis at the front door, they are carrying a green stick and a yellow rock, they wanted to know if there were any Jewish people in the office.”
This I had to see so I walked down the hall and opened the front door to reveal not Rabbis, but two Lubavitch boys, (18ish?) each holding a lulav and etrog. As soon as I opened the door one of them asked, “ Sir did you..” I cut him off, “Yes, this morning in Shul during Shachareet, good Yuntif” They responded in kind and I shut the door.
For some reason their “visit” really bugged me. They didn’t “out” me, my co-workers are very aware of my religion and level of observance. I think part of the reason was it reminded me of when I was a kid and my parents were checking up on me (that bothered me too).
Even more so it bothered me that these two boys knocking on office doors were turning Sukkot into a chore. I really enjoy the festivals, yet most non-observant Jews consider them minor holidays. For some non-practicing Jews in my building today this was their first exposure to the holiday in years, having a “green stick and yellow rock shoved in their face and being cajoled into making a brucha. So they did it this once and forgot about it. It’s like what the sages said, “give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a life time.
What of instead these people were exposed to the joy of decorating a Sukkah with children, the beautiful melodies of Hallel, or even the warmth of a meal with family and friends in a Sukkah? Maybe then, they would eat for a lifetime.
So again I ask, what do you think?
Today my office was ambushed by the Mitzvah Police, well maybe not an ambush, after all there were no weapons, just a “green stick and a yellow rock.” For some reason it bothered me. I would like to know what you guys think so please leave me your opinion via the comments link below.
First let me tell ya’ll what happened. Sometime after lunch there was a ring at the front door of our corporate suite. A few minutes later the receptionist came into my office and said, “There are two Rabbis at the front door, they are carrying a green stick and a yellow rock, they wanted to know if there were any Jewish people in the office.”
This I had to see so I walked down the hall and opened the front door to reveal not Rabbis, but two Lubavitch boys, (18ish?) each holding a lulav and etrog. As soon as I opened the door one of them asked, “ Sir did you..” I cut him off, “Yes, this morning in Shul during Shachareet, good Yuntif” They responded in kind and I shut the door.
For some reason their “visit” really bugged me. They didn’t “out” me, my co-workers are very aware of my religion and level of observance. I think part of the reason was it reminded me of when I was a kid and my parents were checking up on me (that bothered me too).
Even more so it bothered me that these two boys knocking on office doors were turning Sukkot into a chore. I really enjoy the festivals, yet most non-observant Jews consider them minor holidays. For some non-practicing Jews in my building today this was their first exposure to the holiday in years, having a “green stick and yellow rock shoved in their face and being cajoled into making a brucha. So they did it this once and forgot about it. It’s like what the sages said, “give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a life time.
What of instead these people were exposed to the joy of decorating a Sukkah with children, the beautiful melodies of Hallel, or even the warmth of a meal with family and friends in a Sukkah? Maybe then, they would eat for a lifetime.
So again I ask, what do you think?
4 comments:
Why did you place this article on your blog without giving credit to where you took it from?
http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com
Thats really not nice
Perhaps it's time, to do more than mere "mivtzoyim"? Perhaps we should approach people differently, even if that means that we reach fewer in number?
But think about it, we might achieve a higher percentage of quality in our kiruv work!
Judaism has an incredible social dimension. But, your suggestion, “decorating a Sukkah with children, the beautiful melodies of Hallel, or even the warmth of a meal with family and friends”. is not what these boys should do for two reasons.
First, it isn’t very practical. It would be very difficult, for two eighteen year old strangers, to convince someone, to participate in something like that.
Second, their goal is to strengthen the Jews’ connection with God. This can only be done through mitzvahs.
As for your feelings; as legitimate as they may be, they should be discussed with your therapist.
Yid, I aplogize and we talked.
The headline links back to your blog and I have edited the post with a direct link to your blog.
Your story is food for thought.
With your permission I will leave it up.
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